In Hatiya, an island of over 7 lakh people, two expensive river ambulances worth crores are lying useless. Without drivers, fuel, or maintenance, the boats have turned into rusting bodies. Meanwhile, patients, mothers, and newborns continue to risk their lives crossing the river in wooden boats. Locals say these ambulances could have saved countless lives, but government negligence has left them as “dead machines” instead of lifelines.
A Mother’s Cry in the Dark
Late at night, in the silence of the riverbank, a mother’s cry broke the air. The Meghna River was stormy, and the sky was dark. A pregnant woman was in pain, but there was no ambulance. In the end, she had to cross the river in a wooden boat. The baby was born mid-river, but the mother’s heartbeat stopped forever.
This is not a rare story in Hatiya—this is everyday life filled with pain, poverty, and broken promises.
7 Lakh Lives, But No Proper Healthcare
Hatiya is home to 7 lakh people, surrounded by river and sea. The only hospital is a 50-bed health complex with very few doctors, no modern equipment, and not enough nurses. Every month, 60–70 patients are sent to the district hospital, while hundreds more risk their lives on fishing trawlers. Each river crossing feels like a death trap.
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Crore-Taka Ambulances Left to Rot
So why are the Crore-Taka River ambulances not saving lives?
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In 2019, the first river ambulance arrived with hope but soon broke down and became useless.
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In 2022, another modern river ambulance came with JICA’s support. At first, people dreamed of a new dawn. But with no driver, no fuel, and no maintenance, it too has been lying idle for two years.
Now, both crore-taka ambulances are nothing but rusty skeletons by the riverbank, while islanders suffer.
Voices of Anger and Pain
Local fisherman Faisal said:
“We are river people. Every day we cross to survive. When we are sick, two-three hours on a trawler is like fighting death. The government gave us an ambulance, but it’s only a name, not a service.”
Another villager, Faruk, added:
“This ambulance could have been our lifesaver. Instead, it is just scrap. How many mothers gave birth at the ghat? How many died in the waves? If the ambulance worked, they might still be alive.”
Marzina Begum, with tears in her eyes, said:
“We see the ambulance, but there is no service. At night, we put patients on wooden boats. Many lives end in the waves, and we can do nothing.”
Memories of a Former Driver
For three years, Jakir Hossain Kalu drove one of the river ambulances. He recalled:
“I carried five to seven patients a day. Many mothers gave birth on my boat. I saw so many tears. But because there was no salary, I had to leave the job. Even now I think—if I stayed, maybe more lives could have been saved.”
Officials Admit the Failure
Upazila Health and Family Planning Officer Dr. Mansi Rani Sarker said: “It is very sad. One ambulance has already broken down. The other is not running because there is no driver. We have informed higher authorities. Once staff are recruited, the service can start again.”
The Big Question: When?
But the people of Hatiya keep asking: When? How many more lives will be lost before the ambulances are used? Right now, crores worth of machines is rusting on the shore, while every wave carries the cries, pain, and despair of the islanders.
To the people of Hatiya, the river ambulance was not just a vehicle—it was the last ray of hope. Today, that hope has died, and with it, countless lives are still being lost in the darkness of the river.
Source: Daily Jugantor
